Market basket



Oct. 17, 1933. E, P. SHERMAN MARKET BASKET Filed May 13 INVENTOR.

6/707 Pfierma rz Patented Oct. 17, 1933 UNITED" STATES,

" MARKET BASKET Elroy P. Sherman, Ashtabula, Ohio, assignor to 'TheAshtabula Corrugated Box Company,

Ashtabula, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Ap lication May 13, 1932. SerialNo. 611,062

' '4 Claims. (01. 229-52) Thisinvention relates to baskets and aimsparticularly to provide a construction for handled baskets which can bemade of corrugated board, a material hitherto not employed in the basketI field. In. particular the invention aims to, provide a corrugatedboard basket forfruitin which the means for assemblingithe basket bodyand for attaching the handle theretowill not present any elements whichcould damage the fruit or interfere with the stacking of the baskets.Further aims are to provide a basket body which can beshipped inquantities knocked down flat, readily assembled from blanks by unskilledworkmen with few and simple tools and which will present a neatappearance when assembled, the appearance of the container being avaluable factor in the retail marketing of the higher grades of fruit. Afurther aim is to provide means *for covering the basket more neatlythan has hitherto been the case, at the same time so supporting thecover that it will not bear down in the middle upon the fruit in thebasket. Another purpose is to provide a basket in which the bottom andsides will not have any through seams or openings which can spreadapart. Thatis, the bottom, the sides and the ends each include at leastone seamless piece of board.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No.608,940, filed May 3, 1932, in which the construction of the body wassubstantially that of a standard carton, the invention there being moreparticularly directed to the adaptation of such a carton construction toa handled basket.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detailcertain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one 01' various structural forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a basket showing oneembodiment of the basic principles of the invention; Fig. 2 is aperspective view of a modified basket embodying the same principles, andincluding a cover; Fig. 3 shows the blank used for the basket of Fig. 1;Fig. 4 shows the blank used for the basket of .Fig. 2; Fig. 5

shows the blank used for the basket of Figs. 6

and 7 and Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8,

Fig. 1.

Aside from end details, which differ in the different forms, Figs. 1 and2 show the general appearanceof all forms of my improvedbasket. In thedescription; for convenience, the same letters and numbersare usedthroughout for identical or corresponding'parts ofallbasketsJdiiferences related to the varying details being indicated byexponents. s

' Each basket is made from a. single blank, Fig.

3, 4 or 5, and a handle 11 preferably of about the same thickness as thebox materiaL- The basket bodies are folded to interlock, using a minimumnumber of staples or other fastenings. No through seams occur in thecompleted basket, since a onepiece blank is used. The'bottom A, theouter sides B, and the ends D are formed by scoring the blank andfolding 90.along the side lines 12 and end lines 13. The blank islikewise scored at 14 between B and C and folded 18 0", bringing theouter edge 15 of the side C down to the bottom of the basket, the endsof C interlock with the basket 5- ends. The ends 16 of the handle 11 areinserted through openings 17, and suitably-fastened, as by staples l8.

The end construction varies slightly. In the 7 form shown in Figs. 5, 6and 7, which gives the so most rigid lock, the side tabs E arecontinuations of the inner sides C, scored and folded 90 along thejunction line 20, inside the end'D, and with their vertical edges 21abutting, Fig. 6. The end looks or wings F are continuations of the endsD, scored and folded at 23, and are caught under the bend 14"and betweenthe sides B and, C. This type of end can be unlocked only by firstremoving the handle, then pulling the tabs E at each end of one sideinwardto free one of 90 i the abutting edges 21', then turn both innersides C up to release the end locks F, after which the blank can beflattened out. A staple 24 may be conveniently used in each end to holdthe edges 21' in abutment. 5

The basket end shown in Fig. 1 looks almost exactly like the one justdescribed, but does not include the end locks F. Its side tabs E arejoined to the outer sides B scored and-folded 90 at 26 andbrought'downinside the ends D with ends 21' abutting. A staple 24 holdsthe ends in abutment.

In Fig. 2 the end of Figs. 1 and 3 is modified by having the side tabs Eoutside the ends D with edges 21 abutting. The preferred fasten- 106 ingis by means of staples 24 A cover 30, Figs. 2 and 8, may be used withthis basket. The cover is by preference of the same material as thebasket, stiff corrugated board being the most suitable. Thecharacteristics of this cover are that it is cut to the dimensions ofthe finished basket, as shown, so that its edges bear on the topedgesurfaces of the basket evenly all around, thus keeping pressure 011the fruit, but do not protrude, hence do not interfere with stacking thebaskets. Corrugated board and like materials are particularly adaptedfor such a construction because such materials can be cut and foldedsquarely and to exact shapes and dimensions. The cover is notched asat'31 to clear the handle. 7 It is preferably applied by pressing downon the handle to spring the handle wider, then slipping the coverendwise to its place, and releasing the pressure, so that the handlesprings back within the notches.

It will be seen from" the foregoing that I have invented a basket whichcan be shipped in packages of fiat blanks ready for assembly, can beassembled quickly, by unskilled help, and locked in shape almostentirely by folding, with only very little stapling or other fastening."My basket presents a neat square-cornered appearance, and so shapes upthat printing originally done on the appropriate fiat surfaces of theblank will be properly and attractively placed on the assembled basket.The cover is in keeping with the character of the basket body, and thewhole thing is particularly advantageous for the high class fruit trade,although it can be manufactured at the plant and assembled at theorchard,

all very cheaply. I

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as'regards the structureherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated'means be employed.

. I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention:

1. A basket formed of fiber board,comprising in combination double sidewalls having their outer thickness common with the basket bottom andtheir inner thickness folded along the top edge and turned down to thebottom, an arched flat handle of resilient material having straightends, said ends being passed between said'top edge and secured flatwisebetweensaid walls.

2. A basket for fruit and the like having double side walls each formedof a single piece of fiber board folded along the top, a perforationalong said top fold, and an arched handle of flat resilient materialhaving each end extending down through one of said perforations andbetween the inner and outer walls, and fastening means securing each ofsaid ends against displacement.

3. A basket formed of fiber board, double side walls having their outerthickness common with the basket bottom and their inner thickness foldedalong the top edge and turned down to the bottom, eachof said top edgeshaving a handle opening therein, an arched handle of stiff flat materialhaving a straight end entering said opening and secured flat wisebetween said walls, said handle being approximately the thickness'ofthecorrugated board, and basket ends formed by-an' upturned end of thebottom, said ends having lateral wings folded at the basket, corners,said lateral wings being received between the outer and inner sidewalls-of the assembled basket'and having their upper surfaces heldbeneaththe top fold of the side walls.

4. A basket of fiber board or the like comprising sides, ends, andbottom formed of a single blank, the sides being formed by portionsturned :upward from the bottom and other'portions of equal width turneddownward and inward to the bottom, the line offold between said up anddown portions constituting upper edges of. the basket,

